I prune them a bit (they often come already pruned) if they are damaged or too long to fit the hole/pot without curling them around too much. Btw it makes no big difference if it's budded or bare root.

All the grafted bareroots I have ever ordered come pretty thoroughly pruned already! Comparing mine to the ones sometimes pictured here I was really surprised at how many roots seem to come with the rose if you buy them in the US, at least.

I never prune the roots because I have a problem with gall on my hillside. Tobacco was grown here for a long time.

If you have ever read Roy Hennessey's book on roses

https://www.amazon.com/Hennessey-roses-Roy/dp/B0007FH3L2/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478880811&sr=1-3&keywords=Roy+Hennessey+roses

he grew roses and sold them and was adamant that he would only sell to folks who would plant the roots and plants as he grew them. From pictures I've seen, he sent twenty-four inch roots. He was ok with them being planted nearly horizontal.

Imagine the additional growth we could get from that huge a root mass to start with.

Unfortunately I'm really of no help because I prune them a bit (or sometimes "massage" them by basically slightly pruning/damaging a little with my gloved hands)... but I'm the same as you... I don't really know if it helps/hinders or if it is the right way. I just have always done it and think I remember my grandmother teaching me that way. I have never lost one that way though. But not outright failing isn't exactly the same as succeeding. ;)

Marlorena, I only prune damaged roots. Here in the PNW, verticillium wilt is a lurker, and I believe that open roots can invite trouble. I also pot up my roses upon arrival and give them a year or more to settle in and grow, depending on band size. Then I carefully slip them in the ground when they seem ready, all roots as is. Heirloom and ARE ship big, healthy gallon-sized plants. These I introduce to the outdoors and then later plop directly in the ground. No pruning unless a root is damaged. I HAVE root pruned potted roses, ones crammed into close quarters which I have threatened and dared not to thrive. These MUST be root pruned over the years like potted trees, or they would outgrow their real estate. They seem to fare just fine. (Not that I recommend this practice or even pretend that professional growers aren't pulling out their hair.)

Carol

P.S. How lovely your root pruning thread is still up and running! ;-)

Thanks for your replies so far everyone. I think I shall just continue with it... it doesn't seem to do any harm, I just wasn't sure if there are any advantages...

Carol

I'm almost afraid to speak... China would be proud...Russia.. ...Zimbabwe..

Ann, Roy Hennessey often sold roses with roots 3-4 feet long! Found that same 1954 self-published 3rd edition of Hennessey on Roses many years ago & still cherish his iconoclastic observations. Highly recommend this small volume. Interesting bio & review by James Delahanty at HMF. https://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/ezine.php?publicationID=934&js=0

Only prune off damaged roots, having a near reverence for roots myself. Recall when mail order perennials shipped as roots wrapped in excelsior, bare root roses were displayed outside in wooden bins filled with damp sawdust (even in the 70's) & judged by long plump roots as one criterion of soundness. Sue

oh dear that's a bit scary, but thanks so much for your reply on this too Kim...

I do hope I haven't done any damage to them, I've just planted about 8 roses that way.. I shall monitor them with this in mind but I've never had an issue previously. Perhaps in future I shall refrain from this method and just leave them intact..

Gosh, 3 to 4 feet long?... I think I'd have to prune them, I couldn't resist.. and I'd never dig a hole big enough...

The hole didn't have to be deep. LOL four feet down in my hill would be two and a half feet of some of the nastiest clay you could ever hope not to encounter.
What Lily Shohan wrote here, years ago, was that she knew Roy Hennessey and what she did was dig a wide, but shallow hole and plant the rose canes to the north end of the hole, so the rose would (naturally) grow to the south/sun and out and over the roots.

Your average bareroot rose (at least here in Europe) comes with the roots pruned or cut by the machine which does the unearthing. So regardless if one prunes them more or not the wounds are already there. Btw, budded ones have often gone through this process once more if the rootstock is field grown and uprooted to be sold to the propagation nurseries..

I was the unlucky recipient of 5 of those gall infected roses this year. The upsetting part is that I would not have known had they not been the incorrect variety. Turned out to be Lemon Splash not what I ordered. They had only been in the ground a short time before being lifted out. Without knowing I had already assumed they came this way since they were not in the ground long enough to have really gotten crown gall. I'm hoping that I was able to removed all of the infected soil.